Accountability-wise, the dogs and I had another nice evening walk. They are simply such good company.

How do you describe the bond between a human and their dog pack? I know Kat is feeling the emptiness at her home after the passing of her pooch. Dogs are somehow a link between the human and the animal world - the view through to the other side. We don't talk, per se, but we communicate. My pit bull literally smiles and wags her pleasure when I stop by the garage gate when I get home. I think she can no longer separate that "trick" of smiling from wagging. They go together, and she learned it because I smile at her. Amazing, when you think about it.

We go for walks and my catahoula is very protective of me if we meet people or other dogs; she is such a one-woman dog, she would be happy at my side all day long. I have my suspicions about her early puppy-hood; I think she was the pampered pet until she got to be big and noisy. I need to understand that it is her nature to be bonded to a human or her pushy behavior would be way-annoying. She likes Cinnamon and doesn't want to be separated from her, but she would choose me in a heartbeat if she could have only one of us. Luckily, she doesn't have to choose. :)

Enough of a riff on dogs, but after that Nature series about dogs and their domestication (I may have mentioned it here, it has come up at Mudcat), it makes me appreciate these two all the more (you can watch the programs online, if you're interested).

Laundry and dishes are finished. I need to move the extra set of shelves in the sun room, and I'll do that before I head to bed. Will report in the morning, if I have time before I head out for appointments and a photo session.

SRS